Freight-car lock



(No Model.)

O. S. KING. FREIGHT CAR LOCK.

No. 535,210. Patent ed Mar. 5, 1895.

rrm: unnms PEFERS co, maro-uma, wglsmnuromn c ATEENT OFFl -1T OSMAN S. KING, OF PAINESVILLE, OHIO.

FREIGHT-CAR LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,210, dated March 5, 1 895.

Application filed June 14, 1894. Serial No. 514,503- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSMAN S. KING, of Painesville, in the county of Lake and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Freight-Car Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in lockin g mechanism for freight-car-doors; and it consists in certain features of construction and in combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims, the primary object being to provide mechanism whereby the doors cannot be unlocked when the cars are standing singly in the yards of a railway company, or at other points, without the employment of a key especially constructed for the purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is aside elevation of portions of two freight cars coupled together and provided with my im proved door-locking mechanism. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the body of a car having my improved locking-mechanism attached. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the operating shaft and attachments supported from the car-body. Fig. 4 is an elevation, and Fig. 5 is a perspective of portions of the locking-mechanism, more clearly exhibiting the manner of operating said mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side elevation in detail, partly in central longitudinal section on line 6-6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a top plan of parts shown in Fig. 6, partly in central longitudinal section. Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section on line 8-8, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the operating-key, portions being broken away to reduce the size of the figure. Fig. 10 is a side elevation in detail hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent two freight-cars coupled together, and a, a the couplings at adjacent ends of the cars.

B represents the doors of one of the freightcars, the same being constructed and supportedin the usual manner.

0 represents a shaft that is located and extendstransversely of the car just below one of the end-sills of the car at the top of the coupling, said shaft, at either end, being provided with an arm or lever O for operating the same. Upon said shaft, at one side of the carcoup'li'ng, is mounted a laterally-extendcate through the side-sills of the car, the sidesills being perforated (not shown) for the purpose.

The mechanism that operatively connects bolts E with the operating shaft 0 whereby the bolts are adapted to simultaneously lock or unlock the doors by turning the operating shaft in the one direction or the other, is preferably as follows:A rod or bar, G, arranged lengthwise of the car and having suitable bearing in one or more boxes, G, supported from the bottom of the car-body, or attachments of the latter, is operatively connected with the outer end of arm D. Said rod or bar, at or near its opposite end, is provided with divergin g inclines or guides, 9, that engage and are adapted to actuate the locking'bolts to lock or unlock the car-doors according as reciprocating rod or bar G is actuated in the one direction or the other, said inclines or guides being preferably formed by means of rods or bars rigid with rod or bar G and having the trend required to perform the functions for which they aredesigned, and the locking-bolts, at their inner ends, preferably terminate in sleeves, E, that embrace the respective inclined rods or bars.

Suitable means are provided whereby said locking mechanism cannot be actuated to unlock the doors when the car is coupled to another car as shown, the means for the purpose consisting preferably of a frame H rigid with the operating-shaft, the arrangement of parts being such that said frame is adapted to engage the under side of the coupling-link, or coupling of the opposing car, and thereby form a stop to limit the oscillation or rotation of the operating-shaftin the direction to actuate the locking-mechanism to unlock the doors, and the arrangement of parts being also such that the locking-mechanism shall not release the doors until frame or stop H is elevated above the lower side of the coupling-link or object that limits its oscillation in that direction. Hence, it is obvious that the cars must be separated in order to unlok the car-doors. It is, therefore, quite manifest that a car provided with my improved door-locking-mechanism is not likely to have any portion of its contents stolen while in transit.

Arm D is preferably provided with a hub d loosely mounted upon the operating-shaft, and the latter has a laterally-projecting pin or member 0 that engages and is adapted to traverse a lateral hole or slot, d, in said hub, said hole or slot being of such size and the parts so arranged that the aforesaid laterallyprojecting pin or member 0 of the operating-shaft, in the operative position of the locking-mechanism, shall engage the one endwall of said slot, namely, the end-Wall of the hole or slot opposite to the direction in which arm D is turned in unlocking the car-doors, so that the operating-shaft shall operate idly until the lateral pin or member C whereof comes into engagement with the opposite endwall of the aforesaid hole or slot in the hub of arm D, and so that by actuating the operating shaft and stop H, from the position shown in solid lines Figs. 3 and 4, to the position shown in dotted lines in same figures, when stop H performs its function, arm D shall not yet have been actuated.

I represents a hook secured to the end of the car a suitable distance above the adjacent end-sill, and in case of an empty car, or preparatory to unloading a car, the operating shaft is turned to bring frame or stop H into position to be engaged by hook I, the latter being capable of being turned on its axis and lock said frame or stop in the upright position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 4, where it is out of way, and in which position of parts the doors of the car are released.

The mechanism thus far described is substantially disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me on the 16th day of January 189i, and numbered 512,714.

My present invention relates particularly to the means employed for automatically locking rod or bar G, and consequently bolts E, upon oscillating shaft 0 a little farther in the direction in which said shaft is moved in looking the cardoors, and which lockingmechanism is inclosed in such a manner that access can only be had thereto by means of a suitably constructed key adapted to actuate the locking-mechanism to unlock said rod or bar as required in unlocking the car-doors.

Preferable means for carrying out my present invention is more clearly illustrated'in Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, of the drawings.

Boxes G, in which rod or bar G has bearing as hereinbefore described, are rigid with a box or case K in which a laterally and preferably annular enlargement G of said rod or bar is located and adapted to operate.

Lateral enlargement G of rod or bar G is provided with an annular groove or recess G adapted to be engaged by a locking-lever or bar G is gradually reduced in size in the direction of the car-door locking-bolts, so as to form an incline G adapted to be engaged by the toe or projecting-member of the lockinglatch orlever in the operative position of said latch or lever, the arrangement of parts being such that when bolts E have been actuated into an operative position as indicatedin Fig. 2 by the oscillation of shaft G in the required direction,bythereupon further actuating said shaft in the same direction, bar or rod G and its lateral enlargement G will be moved into position with its groove or recess G opposite the toe or projecting-member of the lockinglever or latch, whereupon said latch or lever will, by means of a spring M,be actuated into its looking or operative position, thereby looking shaft 0 as against movement in either direction. It is, therefore, obvious that the unlocking of the car-doors can only be effected by a suitable tool or key adapted to enter box or case K and therebyengage and actuate the locking-latch or lever out of engagement with groove G in member G of rod or bar G. The unlocking tool for the purpose consists of a long key 0 that is adapted to enter a tube P suitably supported below and arranged transversely of the car-body, said tube connecting with the box or case K and being in open relation with the chamber in said case or box by means of a lateral hole K in said box or case, as very clearly shown in Figs. 7 and S. The operating-key, at its inner end, is provided with 'a'bit 0 adapted, when the key is introduced into box or case K and then given a quarter turn laterally, to engage the looking -latch or lever and actuate the same, against the action of spring M, into an inoperative position, as hereinbefore described. The locking-latch or lever is preferably provided with a recess Z Whose wall Z is adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the key when the latter is introduced and thereby constitute a stop to limit the inward movement of the key in introducing it.

When cars are coupled together, the mechanism for locking rod or bar G need not be put in operation because said bar or rod cannot be actuated to unlock the oar-door except by uncoupling the cars. A stop, therefore, for limiting the movement of rod or bar G, after the locking of the car-door, and before said bar or rod has been looked as hereinbefore described, isprovided, and consists preferably of a pin, R, adapted to be moved up and down within a chambered box, or sleeve, S, suitably secured to the car-body. Pin R has a laterally-projecting arm or member R ICC that extends through a lateral slot S in box or sleeve S and, at its outer end, is constructed to be taken hold of by the operator. The arrangement of parts is such that when pin R is in its lower or normal position shown in Figs. 6 and 10, it shall be in the path through which frame H of shaft 0 is adapted to swing upon looking the car-door but before the locking of rod or bar G, by means of latch or lever L, and shall thereby arrest the movement of shaft 0 and consequently rod or bar G before the latter has been actuated far enough to bring groove or recess G opposite toe or projecting member L of latch L, and so that the elevation of pin R shall be necessary before shaft 0, and consequently rod or bar G, can be actuated into the position required to enable latch L to perform its function.

What I claim is 1. In locking-mechanism for a car-door, the combination with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the door and mechanism for operating the bolt, of suitable mechanism for looking the bolt-operating mechanism when the bolt is in its looking or operative position, a box or 'case inclosing the locking-mechanism, and a key adapted to enter said case or box for operating the locking-mechanism to unlock, said box or case being provided with a hole to accommodate the introduction of the key, substantially as set forth.

2. In locking-mechanism for a car-door, the combination with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the door, and mechanism for operating said bolt, of a locking-latch orlever for engaging and locking the bolt-operating-mechanism in theoperative position of the bolt, a spring acting to retain said locking-latch or lever in its operative position, a box or case inclosing said locking-latch or lever and spring and the portion of the bolt-operating mechanism adapted to be engaged by thelatch or lever, and a removable key for actuating said latch or lever to unlock, the aforesaid box or case being provided with a hole or opening for receiving the operating-key, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the car-door and operating shaft supported at the end of the car, a reciprocatin g incline engaging the bolt and adapted to actuate the latter to lock or unlock, and suitable mechanism operatively connecting the bolt-operating incline with the aforesaid shaft and comprising a reciprocating rod or bar G provided with a notch or groove G and incline G arraiwed substantial] as indicated of locking-latch or lever L provided with a toe or projecting member L adapted to engage the aforesaid notch or groove, suitable means acting to retain said latch or lever in its locking-position, a box or case inclosing the locking-latch or lever and that portion of the reciprocating-rod or bar that is engaged by said latch or lever, and a key for actuating the locking-latch or lever in the direction to unlock, the aforesaid box or case being provided with a hole to accommodate the introduction of the key, substantially as set forth.

4. In locking-mechanism for a car-door, the combination with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the door and mechanism for operating the bolt, of suitable mechanism for looking the'bolt-operating mechanism when the bolt is in its looking or operative position, a box or case inclosing the locking-mechanism, a key adapted to enter said case or box for operating the locking-mechanism to unlock, said box or case being provided with a hole to accommodate the introduction of the key, and a stop to limit the inward movement of the key upon the insertion of the same, substantially as set forth.

5. In locking-mechanism for a car-door, the combination with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the door, and mechanism for operating said bolt, of a locking-latch or lever for engaging and locking the bolt-operating-mechanism in the operative position of the bolt,a spring acting to retain said locking latch or lever in its lockingposition, a box or case inclosing said locking-latch or lever and spring and the portion of the bolt-operating mechanism adapted to be' engaged by the latch or lever, aremovable key for actuating said latch or lever to unlock, the aforesaid box or case being provided with a hole or opening for receiving the operating-key, and a stop on the locking-latch or lever adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the key when the latter is brought into proper position relative to the locking-latch or lever, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the car-door, operating-shaft supported at the end of the car, a reciprocating incline engaging the bolt and adapted to actuate the latter to lock or unlock, and suitable mechanism operatively connecting the bolt-operating-incline with the aforesaid shaft and comprising a reciprocating-rod or bar G provided with a notch or groove G and incline G locking-latch or lever L provided with toe or projecting-member L, and spring M, all arranged substantially as indicated, box or case inclosing the locking-latch orlever, spring and that portion of the reciprocating-rod or bar engaged by the latch, and a key for actuating the locking-latch or lever in the direction to unlock, of the movable stop R and a member on the aforesaid shaft adapted to engage said stop, with the arrangement of parts substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of May, 1894;.

OSMAN S. KING.

IVitnesses:

O. H. Donna, WARD HOOVER. 

